About MedMIS

An online platform for Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

MedMIS is an online information system for monitoring Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Mediterranean MPAs. MedMIS contains information on the major marine species that have invaded the Mediterranean Sea, their distribution in MPAs, and identification keys to prevent their establishment and expansion. If you detect an invasive species in an MPA, please report it through this platform. Take note of its location and if possible, take a photo. New records are displayed on the maps after scrutiny by experts. Your information will help us to increase the chances of preventing the species from becoming established and thus limit its potential impact. This online reporting system is based on the publication produced by IUCN in the context of the MedPAN North project (2013). As of 2022, The web platform and the mobile application are updated with the support of the MAVA Foundation.

Otero, M., Cebrian, E., Francour, P., Galil, B., Savini, D. 2013. Monitoring Marine Invasive Species in Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): A strategy and practical guide for managers. Malaga, Spain: IUCN. 136 pages

https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/guide_on_monitoring_invasive_species_in_amp.pdf

For more information please contact:
Yaprak Arda, Marine Programme Officer
IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation
yaprak.arda@iucn.org or uicnmed@iucn.org

Feedback and information to review

In order to keep MedMIS up to date, IUCN would like you to provide feedback on the quality, reliability, and accuracy of the materials posted. We also welcome revised information on MedMIS in the form of GIS data (shapefiles or feature classes) to improve the content for the benefit of the Mediterranean conservation community.

To provide feedback please contact: yaprak.arda@iucn.org or uicnmed@iucn.org

FAQ & Useful Information

What is MedMIS?

MedMIS is an online tool for Marine Invasive Species (MIS) monitoring in Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean.

What is IUCN?

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environmental and development challenges. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO, and private sectors around the world.

IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN-Med) was opened in October 2001 with the core support of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, the regional Government of Junta de Andalucía and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). The Centre’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist Mediterranean societies to conserve and use sustainably the natural resources of the region and work with IUCN members and cooperate with all other agencies that share the objectives of the IUCN. www.iucn.org/mediterranean.

What is MedPAN?

MedPAN is the international association of managers of marine protected areas in the Mediterranean. See the About section for further info: www.medpan.org

Disclaimer of photographies and illustrations

All photographs and illustrations used in this application remain the property of the original copyright holder (see individual captions for details). Photographs and illustrations should not be reproduced or used in other contexts without written permission from the copyright holder.

Reproduction of the information for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged (IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, MedMIS, download date dd/mm/yy). Reproduction of this information for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

IUCN is granted permission to publish all photographs attached to reports uploaded by MedMIS collaborators exclusively within the context of this website. Any other use of graphic material contributed by collaborators outside the aforementioned context must be agreed with the authors themselves.

Disclaimer for maps

The information on MPA boundaries has been prepared following information available from national documents and existing databases.

Disclaimer on frontiers and national boundaries

The designation of geographical entities on the IUCN-MedMIS website does not imply the expression of, or represent, any opinion by IUCN the Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, or its Partners, concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Privacy Policy

IUCN is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. This privacy policy explains how we use the information we collect about you.

Use of data

The personal information provided when registering as a User gives us a better profile of our user community and an idea of how the IUCN-MedMIS website and app are used. The registration form enables us to correct and improve the information presented. We may use your personal data to contact you about any feedback you have provided or to follow up on particular data exports you may have requested, but we will not cede nor sell your information to any third party. The collected information on the distribution and data of invasive species will also be provided to UNEP-RAC/SPA for inclusion into the MAMIAS database and the database of EASIN, the European Alien Species Information Network managed by the European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre.

In the framework of The MedPAN North Project
The MedPAN North project (2010-2013) was an independent project operating within the MedPAN network framework under the leadership of WWF-France. It brings together 12 key actors from 6 European countries bordering the Mediterranean: Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Slovenia. It is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Med Programme. www.medpan.org/en/mnp

In cooperation with MedPAN, the network of Marine Protected Areas managers in the Mediterranean.
Since 1990, the MedPAN network has brought together managers of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and has supported them in their management activities. A legally independent structure since 2008, MedPAN aims to promote the establishment, operation, and sustainability of the network of MPAs. Currently, the MedPAN association has 9 founding members, 31 members (MPA managers), and 24 partners (activities related to MPA management) in 18 Mediterranean countries.www.medpan.org

Administrator

The MedMIS administrator is the Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.